


Outside Pandora's Box

by xxSamuraiPrincess26xx



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-10
Updated: 2020-01-10
Packaged: 2021-02-27 07:20:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22193185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxSamuraiPrincess26xx/pseuds/xxSamuraiPrincess26xx
Summary: After returning just in time for the birth of Hyrule's future ruler, Link and Zelda begin their new lives as parents. Everyone accepts the fact that the Hero and the Princess made the child their main priority. But what happens when the two decide to visit Ordon? How will the villagers react? How will Zelda react when she's suddenly questioned at being a mother?
Relationships: Link/Zelda
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	1. Hyrule's Future Princess

Hyrule had since changed greatly after Choleea's birth. Several citizens had requested an audience with Zelda so they could present her with different things for the baby( toys, clothes, bottles, etc.), and even though it would be less likely for them to receive a response due to Zelda's even busier schedule, they still wished to try to support her as best as they possibly could.  
But they also knew that their ruler had all the support and help she needed…I just one man.  
. . .  
The small sound of a childish giggle was heard as Zelda sat in a rocking chair. It was five months since Choleea's birth, and Link and Zelda had already adapted to becoming parents with a constantly busy schedule.  
Since day one, Zelda made it very clear that she did not want to leave Choleea with a maid every time she had a meeting or some other event that would separate them, so after some very careful and very strategic planning and organizing, Zelda decided that unless the meetings and events were absolutely necessary, they would happen and she would attend. But if they weren't (as some were because the citizens just wanted to see the Princess), they wouldn't happen. She had made it perfectly clear several times that it was disrespectful to the Princess, as well as a waste of her time.  
Zelda was well aware that doing this was selfish and disrespectful herself, but now that she had a daughter, it was something that she couldn't deal with anymore.  
A small tug on one of her long braids had reassured Zelda that she had made the correct choice. Both wincing and smiling through the quick pain, Zelda gently pulls her braid out of Choleea's tiny hand and replaced it with one of her mini plush cats.  
"Choleea my daughter, I promise that you will always be before me." The Princess softly said while gently tapping Choleea's nose with one of her gloved fingers.  
. . .  
That night, Choleea had become restless and refusing to sleep, so Link decided to let Zelda rest and take care of the problem himself. Wrapping his daughter in her purple blanket, Link makes his way to the garden where he stands in front of the area where he had learned of Choleea's creation.  
"When I learned that I was going to be a father, there was a sense of nervousness, but at the same time, it was one of the happiest things I ever heard." He whispered while gently tapping Choleea's back.  
All of a sudden, Link felt himself becoming very emotional.  
"I almost missed your arrival all because I didn't have the power to hold my own. But a miracle had been given to me and I was able to be by your mother's side.  
Feeling Choleea's hand on his chest led him to another flood of memories.  
Never in his life did Link believe his life as a goat herder was going to change. He had believed that he would marry the mayor's daughter, have children, and take on the role of mayor himself.  
But that never happened…  
Instead, he became the husband of Princess Zelda, Head of the Royal Guard, and now the father of Hyrule's next princess.  
And he couldn't be any happier…  
. . .  
The next day was one of those times when Zelda had to leave her daughter with one of the maids. She was well aware that Choleea was in good hands, but the Princess still couldn't help but worry about her.  
Taking a quick deep breath, Zelda continued reading the form she had been given. Now that Hyrule's future ruler was born, it had been recommended that the castle's security be tightened. At first, the Princess was going to reject it, but sudden flashbacks of the events that happened a year ago convinced her to do otherwise.  
After signing the form to finalize the decision to tighten the castle's security, Zelda ended the meeting, and once everyone left, she look out one of the large windows where the Princess spotted her husband training recruits.  
"Link does so well by himself, and he has proven that he will do everything in his power to keep Hyrule safe."  
Turning away from the window, Zelda slowly closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.  
"I should get going…"  
. . .  
While Zelda was busy with the council, Link was busy training the recruits that were hired, while at the same time, re-training the castle's guards. It was a time that he no doubt enjoyed, but now being a father, he started to wish that he didn't have to train as much as he had to.  
But what he didn't know was that the recruits and guards had also noticed that as well. They could tell just by looking at him that he wanted to be with his new family, but doing this was part of his role of Head of the Royal Guard.  
Just as the sun began to set, the training dummies had been torn and everyone exhausted to the point where the smallest move caused them pain, which didn't bother them at all. They knew that they would be exhausted by the end of the day, yet they were aware that it was worth it because it meant that they were improving and that one of them was closer to taking Link's place when he is gone.  
After the recruits were rested and rehydrated, one by one they bowed to their instructor (which they chose to do out of respect for him), left the training grounds and returned to their own quarters to prepare for the next session.  
Instead of following them, Link stayed behind to have a little time for himself. After taking a drink of water, he looked at the damaged training dummies and smiled to himself.  
"They are all doing so well and learning more and more every time we practice."  
Once the water was gone, Link looked towards one of the castle's large windows and took a deep breath.  
"I should get going…"


	2. Choleea's Story

"I told them enough is enough!" Zelda thought as she crumpled another audience request letter. For the past few days, she had been receiving letters from the same people who had wasted her time with false meetings. When anyone asked how she knew they weren't real, the Princess told them just by looking(or sometimes reading) at the letter, she knew it was fake, which continued to frustrate her more and more.  
"The fact that I have a daughter doesn't even stop them. If that doesn't, then what will?"  
After taking a deep breath to calm herself down, Zelda rises from her chair and over to the large crib in the corner of the room where Choleea was napping peacefully.  
"I pray that you don't have to deal with things like this when I am gone." The Princess whispered as she adjusted Choleea's blanket.  
. . .  
The next couple of months just seemed to rush by for the Hero and the Princess. It seemed like it was just yesterday that their daughter was born.  
In just seven months, Choleea had started to walk as well as showing Link and Zelda her likes and dislikes.  
But what really surprised them was that Choleea seemed to understand everything they were saying, whether or not they were talking to her or somebody else, she understood them completely.  
Link and Zelda had been told that an infant's abilities develop at different times, but the fact that Choleea could already understand them concerned the young parents quite a bit.  
"I don't want to believe that something is wrong with Choleea, but the fact that she understands everything we are saying worries me for some reason." The Princess said while running a brush through her long, silky, chestnut hair.  
Looking up from his book, Link takes a deep breath and joins his wife at the vanity table.  
"Zelda, I know you are concerned, as am I, but remember that some infants are born differently than others. The fact that Choleea already has this capability was something that we couldn't control."  
He then placed his hands on Zelda's bare shoulders.  
"Our daughter may have been born unique, but I assure you that she will grow up just as any other infant would."  
The Princess then took a deep breath herself.  
"I sure hope you are right."  
. . .  
Sure enough, Choleea had grown up normally like her father said she would. Even though she continued to learn new abilities rather quickly, she was still happy and healthy nonetheless.  
Now an aspiring four-year-old, Choleea had really given Link and Zelda a reason to be proud parents. Their daughter was very sweet and friendly, never flaunted her intelligence, never played favoritism with anything or anyone, and she treasured every moment she spent with her parents.  
She was also a massive animal lover. Once a stray cat wondered into the garden, and once Choleea saw it, Link and Zelda knew that she would want it for a pet. So, that day, they ended up getting a cat that they named Sprinkle.  
However, despite these charming qualities about Choleea, there was one thing that wasn't very charming and was just as concerning as her high intelligence. For some reason, Choleea had developed a habit of becoming very vocal to very silent to the point where she appeared to be a mute.  
The doctor determined that it wasn't a type of mutism or anything of the sort. It was a very unusual habit that she would eventually grow out of.  
It was a good thing that everyone in the castle was well-versed in sign language.  
. . .  
One night, Link had promised Choleea that he would read her a bedtime story. Once she was placed on her pink and white bed, she reached behind one of her pillows and pulled out a medium sized book which caused Link to softly sigh.  
"We have read that three times this week. Lets read something else."  
Choleea just shook her head and pushed the book towards her father.  
"Alright then…" he said while taking the book and sitting on the bed.  
A long time ago, there was a man who traveled to a distant land in search of a lost friend. But once he got there, he realized that the town was in great danger and he only had three days to save them. Thankfully, he was able to save them at the second. But, while the town and its people were cheerful and happy, the man was sad and in pain.  
(Turns the page)  
While clutching a fatal wound, he staggers into the forest, and after struggling to walk for sometime, he decides to stop fighting the pain and collapses against a nearby tree. As he closes his eyes and waits for his last breath, he realizes that now he was soon to join the spirits, he would never have the chances to pass on the skills that he had learned to the next generation of his life. Finally, his last breath arrived, and his body became still.  
(Turns the page)  
All of a sudden, the man woke up, but something didn't feel right. When he had awakened, he wasn't in the forest, but rather a world of pure white. Everywhere he looked he saw misty fog with an eerie silence surrounding him. All this actually scared him quite a bit.  
(Turns the page)  
But when he looked at his hands, his fear went to a whole new level. His entire body was bone, and his eyes were red, with the right one being scarred and shut. Not only that, he was wearing century old armor with a sword and shield at his side. Before he could think or do anything else, a deep voice and the sound of a large dog panting was heard.  
"The next generation has arrived…" the voice said.  
Turning towards the voice, he is soon met by a wolf with fur of shiny gold and smooth as silk, and like him, the wolf's right eye was scarred and shut.  
After a few moments of silence, something hit him.  
(Turns the page…)  
Him and the Golden Wolf were one in the same. After realizing this, he thinks about what the voice told him.  
"The next generation has arrived…"  
That meant that he had his chance to pass on his skills.  
In a flash of white, the voice was heard once more…  
"A grey wolf will come to you, and that's when you'll get your chance."  
(End of Story…)  
After closing the book, he gets Choleea tucked in and just as he was going to leave, he was stopped by his daughter's rarely heard voice.  
"Daddy, do you think we might see the grey wolf sometime?"  
Link just nervously smiled for a few moments before answering.  
"We live in a very mysterious kingdom…you'll never know."


	3. To Wolf Or Not To Wolf

Zelda never liked thunderstorms or even light rain. It always gave her bad memories whether or not they involved her. But this particular thunderstorm brought it all back to her, everything she did, everything she put her people through, and how she could do nothing to help them. It suddenly felt like she was tied with heavy chains. Her people looked up to her and relied to her and she had repaid them by allowing them to become spirits.  
Sometimes at night, she could still hear their screams and his laughter when she surrendered herself to him.  
She hated the rain so much…  
Then again, if she hadn't surrendered, she would have most likely been killed in cold blood, she never would have been reunited with her first and closest friend, and she never would have met the love of her life.  
She still hated the rain…  
. . .  
At around midnight, the rain had finally stopped, and everyone was able to calm down and sleep. But for Zelda, she couldn't be anymore awake. She didn't really want to go out into the garden or use any of the other remedies that she normally would, but for some reason, Zelda felt the need to go into the castle's graveyard.  
Not wanting to disturb her sleeping husband and daughter, the Princess slowly slides out of bed, quickly and quietly dons her purple robe over her nightgown, and slips out the door, ignoring the fact that she was barefoot.  
The trip to the graveyard was rather quick and very quiet. After making her way through the maze of unmarked graves, the Princess finds the one she was looking for.  
. . .  
Back in the bedroom, Link had rolled over in bed, and not feeling his wife, woke up and began to worry when she realized that Zelda wasn't even in the bedroom anymore.  
"Once again, something that is out of character for her." He whispered while putting on his own robe and a pair of worn out boots that her used as a type of slipper. However, unlike the Princess, who was able to slip out undetected, and despite how quiet he was, Link still managed to wake up Choleea.  
"Daddy, where are you going?"  
Not wanting to scare or worry her, Link tried to give Choleea the most vague yet believable answer he could.  
"Mommy couldn't sleep, so she went into the garden and I'm going to check on her.  
In reality, Link wasn't entirely sure where Zelda was, but since she always went to the garden when she couldn't sleep, it seemed like the most likely place to look.  
Looking at his daughter, he could tell that she believed him, but also that she wanted to go with his as well.  
Wrapping Choleea in her blanket, Link helps her out of bed and both make their way to the garden to search for one's wife and the other's mother.  
. . .  
"A Cursed Swordsman Rests Beneath A Sacred Tree" Zelda whispered as she knelt in front of the grave that held those words.  
The grave was in very poor condition and the owner's description was very vague, but the Princess knew very well who the owner was.  
It was her Hero that she sent away…only to be killed.  
Zelda didn't know why, but she felt like she had to talk to him.  
"Things have been going well in this time. I married the love of my life and now we have a four-year-old daughter."  
She then placed a hand on the delicate grave.  
"I hope things have been well for you despite what I had done. Hopefully you have found the love of your life as well."  
Just as she was about to start crying, the sound of footsteps brought her out of her reverie. Looking towards the entrance to the graveyard, she could see Link and Choleea looking for her. The Princess didn't want them to know where she was, but because of their location, she had no choice but to allow them.  
Slowly walking away from the grave, Zelda makes her way to her family, where she was noticed right away.  
Before she was questioned, the Princess told them that she decided to try wearing herself out by walking in both the garden and the graveyard.  
Despite the looks she received, Zelda was able to convince them that was the case for her.  
"I just felt like I needed to talk to him." The Princess thought as they walked back into the castle.  
. . .  
The next day, Zelda had to attend another meeting, but luckily for her, Link had the day off, so her would be able to watch Choleea.  
The night before, he had once again read what Choleea called "The Gray Wolf" (with her once again asking if they will ever meet the gray wolf) which caused him to question whether or not to let his daughter in on his biggest secret that only him and Zelda knew.  
If he told her, he runs the risk of Choleea refusing to talk or even look at him, and if she learned that Zelda knew, she would probably get the same results.  
But if he continued to keep it a secret, it would forever be a mystery for her and forever a problem for him.  
As he watched Choleea walk around the garden trying to catch butterflies, he couldn't help but feel emotional.  
He didn't want to risk hurting his daughter's feelings, but he knew that it was a choice that he had to eventually make.  
. . .  
That afternoon, Link and Zelda were in her study with her desk between them. Sometimes after meetings, the Princess would ask Link for his help with some of the extra work she had received at the end( usually they were just his opinions, but they still helped the Princess either way), and while Link was usually very focused on the task, this time her seemed rather distracted, which didn't go unnoticed by the Princess.  
"Link, you seem rather distracted today. Is there something on your mind?"  
Looking up at his wife, Link quickly shakes his head and returns his gaze to the papers in front of him. Sadly for Link, Zelda quickly saw that he was lying just by looking at his face and his non-verbal answer.  
"You are a really bad liar Link. If there is something bothering on your mind, you can tell me."  
With a sigh, Link looke3d up at his wife's concerned gaze.  
"After the Twilight War ended and everything was at peace once again, I convinced myself that I no longer needed to take the form of a wolf. But, Choleea has been asking about meeting the gray wolf, and the only thing I do is tell her time will tell or I am not sure."  
In all honesty, Zelda was aware that this might come up at some point. While she herself knew that Link was the gray wolf, there was a state of concern when it came to their child.  
Normally when it came to personal problems, Link and Zelda were able to help each other out, but despite being the bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom, this was one thing that she couldn't help her husband with.  
"I'm sorry Link, I don't really know what to tell you. However, I will ask you this. You have the mind of both a man and a wolf. While the mind of a man is conflicted, what is the mind of a wolf saying?"


	4. To Wolf Or Not To Wolf Part II

For the past few days, there had been nothing but rain…pure, cold, wet rain. Yet, that did not stop Link or his recruits from training their hearts out. They trained just as hard as they would when the weather was sunny, proving even more that they were growing under Link's instructions, which made him even more proud of them.  
However, Zelda wasn't very fond of her husband and his recruits training in the bad weather. She knew that it was part of his job, but she hated when one of the recruits or Link himself ended up sick and bedridden. She also took note that some of them recovered quicker than others. While some were sick for a max of three days, others took either almost or over a week.  
Unfortunately, Link was one of those people. Every time Link got sick, it always took him over a week to recover, whether or not he listened to the doctor's (or her) orders. The Princess believed that it took him longer to recover because he always refused to stay in bed and relax. But, remembering that he was a man of action and after the Twilight Invasion, she just gave up and decided to let him rest when he wanted to.  
As Link was doing his job of keeping security strong, Zelda decided to spend some time with her daughter. Normally, they would walk through different areas of the gardens and courtyard, but this time, the Princess decided to let Choleea choose what she wanted to do.  
"It's up to you on what we do today." The Princess said while helping Choleea into her dress.  
Instead of getting a verbal answer, Zelda received a written one instead.  
"Tallest Tower"  
Zelda felt her heart drop when she read those two small words as that was one area in the castle that she never wanted to set foot or even get near again.  
She knew that there was no way that Choleea could have known what went on in that tower, and only wanted to go there out of curiosity as she had never been there before.  
"Very well, but it is not the best place to be, so this is the only time we will visit there." The Princess said quietly.  
With a nod, Choleea reaches for one of her plushies and smiles as Zelda carries her out of the bedroom.  
. . .  
The halls were quiet and eerie as Zelda and Choleea made their way up the stone steps. She could feel Choleea's hand gently grab her purple bodice, causing the Princess to hold her closer, as if someone was trying to take Choleea out of her mother's arms.  
Each step that Zelda took brought more memories that made her heart sink deeper.  
She had been taunted, harassed, and sometimes abused.  
The Princess knew that Choleea would be terrified if she ever found out that her mother had been imprisoned in this very tower and what she endured, so Zelda promised herself that she would never let her daughter know.  
Loud squeaking was heard as Zelda slowly pushed open the large metal doors, revealing both Zelda's prison and Choleea's new place to explore.  
Putting her daughter down, the Princess remained in the doorway as she watched her daughter wonder around the room looking both interested and uninterested at the same time.  
After about ten minutes, Zelda heard the sound of something being dragged. Looking towards the large bed, the Princess saw Choleea dragging what looked like a heavy black blanket, which immediately gave Zelda a nervous shiver down her spine.  
"Please don't let that be what I think it is."  
But, as Choleea got closer with what Zelda hoped was a heavy blanket, the Princess quickly realized that it was no blanket.  
It was her mourning robe…  
. . .  
The rain continued to fall as Link was instructing some of the more experienced recruits.  
"They really are getting better." He thought as he watched them strike the dummies with various moves as well as keeping a steady balance despite the rain.  
As Link started switching groups, the rain started to slow down and the long needed sunlight started to appear, relaxing both Link and his recruits.  
Well, actually just the recruits.  
Link had continued to ponder on whether or not he should let Choleea know that he is the gray wolf in her storybook.  
As if he had the power to change the weather with the use of doubts and worries, clouds slowly began closing in and signs of another rain began to appear.  
"Is this some sort of way of letting me know what to do?" Link thought as he felt a drop of rain on his nose.  
After a few moments of pondering, Link made his final decision.  
. . .  
Seeing her daughter holding the mourning robe made Zelda wonder exactly how Choleea would be affected if she found out that her mother was imprisoned in this very tower and that she had worn that very robe.  
The Princess knew that no doubt Choleea would be terrified and most likely guilty, but to what extent, Zelda didn't know. In truth she didn't want to know.  
All of a sudden, images of her husband's wolf form began to run through her mind.  
When she first saw him and quickly discovered that he was the Hero she needed.  
How he protected her during her pregnancy…  
How he would rest his head on her stomach…  
Even now, he still gives it his all to make sure that she and Choleea remain safe from harm.  
"Maybe Choleea should learn the identity of the gray wolf."  
. . .  
The fire in the fireplace flickered slowly as Link and Zelda discussed his decision.  
"Are you absolutely sure that you want Choleea to know that you are the gray wolf?"  
Link sighed as he stared into the fire. "I can't lie to her any longer. She still has hopes that she will meet him and I just feel that she deserves to know. It might scare her, but like I said, I can't lie to her anymore."  
At that, Link and Zelda turned to their daughter, who was sitting on her parents' bed, playing with some of her toys.  
"So when do you want to let her know?" the Princess quietly said so Choleea couldn't hear her.  
Turning away from Choleea and now to the large recently fogged window, Link closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.  
"When the snow begins to fall."


	5. Choleea Meets The Wolf

Winter in Hyrule always made everybody very happy, especially when it snowed because it was very rare that the icy fluff appeared.  
For Link and Zelda, winter had always brought one of their favorite memories.  
Back before they were married, Link(in wolf form), would take a secret tunnel that was hidden in the garden to sneak into Zelda's bedroom so he could spend the night with her until he had to sneak back out and return to Ordon Village in the morning.  
As if he was a large teddy bear, the Princess would wrap her arm around him and bury her face in his fur, taking in the scent of hay and wolf, and if she was lucky, she would get the feeling of human skin.  
At that time, Link and Zelda were forced to keep their relationship and the former's wolf ability a secret.  
Now they no longer had to keep their relationship a secret, but Link and Zelda still had to keep Link's wolf ability a secret to where only they knew.  
That is until now…  
. . .  
Zelda took a deep breath as she stood on one of the balconies that overlooked the snowy town. Watching her people enjoy themselves in the icy fluff was one of the things that she enjoyed watching from afar. She saw several children running around, throwing snowballs at each other or at their parents, some of which were tossing snowballs back while others were dancing near the large crystalized fountain. The Princess knew that the shops would be closed, but it was clear to her that it did not stop her people from having fun.  
She had admitted to herself that she was envious of them because of the freedom that they had, but at the same time, she wasn't envious for reasons that even now was unable to figure out.  
But there were several times when Zelda had wondered if Link ever missed his old simple life as suddenly changing from goat herder to her husband was a massive step, especially for someone as young as him. She remembered Link mentioning a childhood friend named Ilia back in Ordon, which often made the Princess wonder if Link would have preferred being Ilia's husband instead of hers.  
Link had always told her that he had believed that he was to marry Ilia and have children with her, but he was proven wrong when the Twilight War began.  
The moment when he first looked into Zelda's eyes made him realize that his future was with her and not Ilia.  
He knew that being with Zelda meant giving up his simple life and starting a very difficult new life, but it was something that he was destined to do.  
He married the most beautiful woman in Hyrule and he fathers the kingdom's future Princess.  
Link had created a new life for himself…a life that made him the happiest man in the world.  
. . .  
The Princess smiled as she watched Choleea run around the courtyard trying to catch some of the gently falling snowflakes. It was the first time she had seen snow, and Zelda wanted to make sure that her daughter's first snow day will be a day that she will remember for the rest of her life.  
As she watched her daughter switch from trying to catch snowflakes to trying to find any surviving flowers, worry began to set in as she thought about her daughter meeting the gray wolf.  
Will she be scared?  
Will she cry?  
Will she be happy?  
So many questions ran through Zelda's mind before she heard a mysterious voice.  
"It's now or never."  
. . .  
Link(in wolf form) sat quietly in the bushes waiting for Zelda and Choleea to arrive. Link and Zelda had decided that they would do this in the garden, near the bushes where Zelda told Link that she was pregnant.  
"Just let Choleea come to you…"  
"Let her take control…"  
He continued to mentally repeat this to himself until he saw his wife and daughter enter the garden.  
"Choleea there is something that you need to see."  
Link looked to find Zelda directing Choleea to a trail of pawprints that he left in the snow.  
Kneeling down, Choleea gently places one of her hands on a pawprint( smudging it a little), and before feeling the snow start to sting her hand, removed it and looked up to find the pawprint trail leading to the snow covered bushes.  
Zelda and Link felt their hearts begin to race as they watched their daughter slowly follow the trail and once Choleea stopped at the bush, felt like they were going to stop.  
Before Choleea could do anything else, Zelda knelt beside her and put her gloved hands on the bushes.  
"Don't be afraid…" the Princess whispered.  
At that, Zelda opened the bushes, where they quickly saw the familiar pair of piercing blue eyes.  
Upon locking eyes with his daughter, Link immediately saw a set of different emotions.  
Happiness…  
Excitement…  
Confusion…  
Nervousness…  
He wished he could let Choleea know that there was no need to be afraid, but he knew that he couldn't because any misstep could ruin everything.  
Link also knew that to avoid any missteps he would have to rely on Zelda.  
The Princess knew that Choleea was feeling a mix of positive and negative emotions and in order for everything to have a good outcome, Zelda had to direct Choleea away from any negative feelings, but by just telling her not to be afraid wasn't going to do it.  
Choleea had to see that herself.  
That's when it hit her…  
"Choleea, look deeper into the wolf's eyes and tell me what do you see?"  
Inching closer, she studied the mysterious orbs and soon saw something that she had seen several times before.  
Eyes of piercing blue that were filled with unlimited bravery that also led to a soul that was courageous, humble, and pure."  
Now close enough to touch the wolf, Choleea gently placed both of her hands on either side of his face and immediately saw something else.  
The heart was not the heart of a wolf…  
It was the heart of a human…  
With her hands still on the wolf's face, Choleea calmly whispered…  
"Daddy?"


	6. Choleea And The Snowy Wolf

The winter nights always gave the castle an eerie, yet peaceful silence. Although it was always frightening for Zelda, she continued to force herself to welcome and enjoy it, for the sake of her husband and daughter.  
Despite being late into the night, Link couldn't bring himself to fall asleep. He figured that it was probably due to stress or nerves, but soon figures out that his lack of sleep was due to Choleea' s reaction to him revealingthat he's the gray wolf.  
She wasn't scared…  
She wasn't angry…  
She seemed confused…  
But she was so calm.  
In fact, her reaction wasn't what Link expected at all. While he did expect her to be confused, he thought that she would be scared, but the fact that Choleea reacted the way she did gave him both a sense of relief and a sense of confusion himself.  
"Daddy?"  
The look in his daughter's eyes and the calmness in her voice let Link know that she was not afraid and just wanted to know what exactly was going on and whether or not he was alright.  
Link knew that no matter what Choleea felt, he would have to explain everything, but for now, he would just be relieved that she accepted who the gray wolf was.  
"No matter what, you can't tell anyone. It must stay between the three of us. Do you understand?" Link asked before putting her to bed.  
"Yes, I understand, only we will know." Choleea answered without question.  
It was then that he realized the look Choleea gave him was the same look Zelda gave him when she first saw him as a wolf.  
Like her mother, Choleea showed no fear and only concern.  
. . .  
For the next few days, the icy fluff continued to fall, which literally called out to the gray wolf. As always, he chose his times carefully and eventually got his chance in the first hours of Twilight. Nudging the carpet covering the entrance to the tunnel, the gray wolf slowly crawls through, taking slow steady steps.  
But this time, the gray wolf was not alone.  
Gently sitting on his back was his daughter, eager to spend time with her snowy wolf.  
Once out of the tunnel and into the garden, Choleea slowly slides off the snowy wolf's back, with him shaking the dirt out of his fur afterwards. Once all was cleaned and his back was stretched, the snowy wolf slowly walks towards his daughter, who was already trying to catch snowflakes.  
. . .  
An annoyed sigh escaped Zelda's mouth as she held a sealed envelope that had recently been delivered to her. Although it was clearly from the council, the Princess still felt that something about it wasn't right.  
They had already finalized the decision to increase the castle's security.  
All grants and treaties had been reviewed, signed, and sent out.  
In fact, for the longest time, there had been no need to have any type of meeting.  
Why now all of a sudden?  
Quickly opening the crisp envelope, the Princess pulls out the parchment, and what she read made her wish that this was all a cruel prank.  
. . .  
The snowy wolf continued to sit quietly as he watched Choleea running around the garden, trying to catch snowflakes and frowning when one actually fell in her hand, but had melted before she could do anything. Yet, she continued to try and catch one long enough to see its designs.  
After a while, she finally got what she wanted.  
In her hands landed a snowflake whiter than the icy fluff and had designs of stars and triangles. But, what really amazed her was that it seemed to have a bluish hue to it, and it didn't even show any signs of melting.  
Running to the snowy wolf, Choleea holds it to his face so he could see its design for himself.  
Just like Choleea, he was also quite amazed by the object in her hand. For a second, he though it was a charm or some sort of trinket, but it was clearly a snowflake.  
It was also clear that Choleea wanted to keep it.  
Looking around, he noticed a small glass vase with a matching lid that was used to hold smaller objects (rocks, stones, petals, etc.).  
Using his head, the snowy wolf points to said vase as a way of telling his daughter to place the snowflake in there to keep it safe.  
Once she emptied out the contents and replaced them with the snowflake, Choleea replaces the lid, and with the whole object in her hands, walks back to the snowy wolf.  
She couldn't wait to show her mother.  
. . .  
The council room was completely silent as Zelda walked in and took her seat at the large table.  
"May I ask what this is all about?" the Princess quickly asked while putting the letter in front of her.  
After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, one of the older council members spoke up.  
"Please forgive us Your Highness, but it is time to finally tell you that for a long time we've been having high doubts about Choleea."


	7. The Problem With Choleea

The council room had become so quiet that Zelda swore the only thing she heard was her own heartbeat.  
Choleea becoming a concern to the point of having a meeting was the last thing on her mind.  
"Exactly, what doubts are you having about my daughter?" the Princess asked rather harshly.  
"Your Highness, while we indeed admire Choleea, we feel that she is not capable of taking your place as Hyrule's next princess."  
With her blood already starting to boil, Zelda responded as calmly as she possible could.  
"What do you mean she is not capable of taking my place as Hyrule's next princess?"  
Seeing that they had already struck a nerve, the council was reluctant to answer her.  
"Well?"  
After gathering up the courage, another one of the older council members spoke up.  
"It's just that with the way she has been growing up, her high intelligence, and her mutism-like habit, she doesn't seem like she would be able to continue in your footsteps."  
Slowly rising from her chair, Zelda takes a deep breath before once again facing the group of people in front of her.  
"Listen to me very carefully. Link and myself were worried about Choleea at first, but we learned to accept that she is unique and keep in mind that all of her abilities were something that neither Link or myself could control.  
Before anyone could contradict what Zelda said, the Princess slammed her gloved hands on the table.  
"Choleea is a very young child that still has a lot of growing up to accomplish.  
Taking another deep breath, the Princess turns away from the table.  
"I no longer wish to speak of this, and unless Choleea has done anything that would bring harm to the kingdom, she will not be mentioned again. This meeting is over."  
. . .  
That night, Link had noticed that his wife had been rather quiet. He learned that Zelda had a council meeting while him and Choleea were outside, and figured her silence was most likely due to something the council brought up that was unexpected.  
How right he was…  
After a while of watching the Princess run a brush through her hair, Link decided to try and find out what's going on.  
"Did something happen at the council meeting?"  
With a sigh, Zelda places the brush on the table, and turns toward her husband.  
"The council believes that Choleea isn't capable of taking my place."  
A look of confusion quickly appeared on Link's face.  
"Why would they think that?"  
Rising from the chair, Zelda walks to the foggy window and stared at the falling snowflakes.  
"It turns out that they had high doubts about her and because of her growth development and her silent behavior, the council doesn't see her following in my footsteps."  
Realizing that he was right, Link knew that talking to his wife in her current state wasn't going to be easy.  
"They're making Choleea sound like she's a demon or some other evil being. We all knew that she was different, but eventually grew to accept it. Besides, why would they bring this up after four years?"  
"Honestly, Link I have no idea. When I read the letter, I hoped that it was a cruel prank. But when I found out it was sincere and what the council had to say, the feeling of being bound with heavy chains overcame me." Zelda replied with her eyes still fixated on the icy fluff outside.  
Seeing that she was about to cry, Link rises from the couch and joins her at the window, taking one of her hands quickly afterwards.  
"I am aware that there are still some things about the council I still don't know, but from what you just told me, it seems like they are no doubt beside their statements, and at the same time using them as a way to mess with your feelings and cause you to question being a mother."  
After taking in what her husband just said, Zelda takes her hand out of his grip and turns towards him again.  
"Do you really think that?"  
Meeting his wife's gaze, Link takes her hand again.  
"In truth, I really do. While it is understandable that they have doubts about or decision to marry, but I feel that when they got the news that you were pregnant, they had their own vision of what the baby was going to be. The council had their own criteria and clearly Choleea didn't meet that."  
At that, Zelda closed her eyes and sighed deeply.  
"But what can we do? It's not like we can just toss Choleea out like trash and have another child."  
With a sad sigh, Link released Zelda's hand and pulled her into his arms.  
"Honestly, I don't think there is anything we can do."  
. . .  
The issue with Choleea and the council had continued to invade Link and Zelda's minds. While they were convinced that there was pretty much nothing they could do, the Hero and the Princess still had the glimmer of hope that there would be something they could do, and that they just had to be patient.  
. . .  
While Link and Zelda were stressed and worried inside the castle, the people in the marketplace were a completely different story.  
The snow had finally ended and the warmth of the sun was starting to arrive, which made the citizens even happier. Now that the weather had changed for the better, all the shops were opening, animals were coming out to play, street vendors were walking around, trying to sell various items, and music was happily playing. It looked like one giant carnival.  
"It would be too difficult to plan out."  
The gray wolf quietly sat under a dying tree in the castle's graveyard thinking about the current situation. Closing his piercing blue eyes, the gray wolf slows down his breathing, eventually entering a meditative state.  
Once his mind started to roam, several memories began to swim through.  
The very first time he saw the Princess and how quickly he fell in love with her, despite being a wolf at the time.  
When he saw how selfless she was when she saved both his traveling companion and her closest friend.  
How he continued to think about her throughout the journey.  
When he was forced to fight her when she had been manipulated into trying to kill him in cold blood.  
When he first saw her as a human and how he managed to fall in love with her even more.  
When they held hands in the realm of purity.  
How she fought alongside him using her spiritual magic.  
When they traveled back to the castle after saying farewell to their companion and friend.  
The gray wolf opened his eyes and looked at the grave in front of him.  
"A Cursed Swordsman Rests Beneath A Sacred Tree."  
This grave spoke to him in a way that he could hear.  
He felt very connected to the old, fragile grave to the point where he had considered it a prized possession.  
Closing his eyes again, the gray wolf re-enters the meditative state and was soon met with more memories.  
The Princess offering him to live with her and her reaction when he agreed to do so.  
The day of their wedding and how beautiful she looked in her white dress.  
The night when they unknowingly created their daughter,  
When he learned that he was going to be a father and how happy he felt.  
The wolf once again opened his eyes and stared at the grave.  
"You who now gaze to the future with vision unclouded."  
His eyes closed again.  
The night their daughter was born and watching her grow up to the child she is now.  
The snowy day when she found out that he is the gray wolf in her stories and how quickly she accepted that fact.  
Now there are doubts about his daughter being the next sole ruler of Hyrule and he didn't know what to do.  
His eyes opened again.  
"You who have marched through countless foes, each mightier than the last."  
Suddenly the wolf was reminded of his purpose.  
His purpose…  
He was born to protect Hyrule.  
He was born to marry the Princess.  
He was born to father the future ruler of Hyrule.  
He was born to put Hyrule at peace.  
His wife and daughter…  
It's his job to make things right, to solve this issue.  
The wolf slowly walks out of the graveyard and back to the garden's hidden tunnel.  
"Go and do not falter my child!"


End file.
